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Marlon Byrd had three hits and Pedro Alvarez hit a two-run homer high off the batter’s eye on Friday night, leading Pittsburgh over the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 in a series that will decide which one hosts the NL wild-card game.

Both teams clinched post-season berths this week. The Pirates’ chances of winning the NL Central ended later Friday night, though, when St. Louis beat the Cubs 7-0 to clinch the title.

So now it comes down to the wild-card playoff next Tuesday night, and the Pirates are one win away from taking it to PNC Park. Nice way to start a decisive series.

“It’s huge,” Byrd said. “We want to get that one-game playoff in Pittsburgh.”

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It’s the biggest series between them since 1990, when the Reds beat Barry Bonds and the Pirates to reach the World Series, where they swept Oakland for their last title.

Joey Votto singled twice, surpassing Pete Rose’s club record of reaching base 311 times in a season.

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